PhD Candidate in AI for Ship Traffic Monitoring Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Norway

NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) is advertising a PhD Candidate position in AI for ship traffic monitoring within the Department of Engineering Cybernetics in Trondheim, Norway. The project is part of the new Norwegian Maritime AI Centre, led by NTNU and funded by the Research Council of Norway and partners for the period 2026–2030.

The research topic is strongly interdisciplinary and combines machine learning, trajectory modelling, anomaly detection, and maritime data analytics. The aim is to build models of ship trajectories and traffic patterns that can detect anomalies and predict future behaviour using large historical datasets from the Automatic Identification System (AIS), together with weather data, navigation charts, and ship/port/cargo databases. The work may also combine satellite-based AIS and sensors such as radar for risk analysis, maritime situational awareness, security, safety, logistics, and autonomous navigation.

The PhD candidate will work in a highly collaborative centre environment with other doctoral candidates, researchers, companies, and governmental agencies. The Norwegian Maritime AI Centre addresses a broad set of use cases, including maritime traffic and ship surveillance, logistics, voyage planning, condition monitoring, decarbonization, crew training, autonomous ships, and remote control. Research partners include NTNU, the University of Oslo, Oslo School of Architecture and Design, the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, the Norwegian Mapping Authority, MET, and SINTEF Nordvest, alongside many user partners from the maritime sector.

The position is supervised by Professor Tor Arne Johansen. The role involves completing doctoral education, carrying out high-quality research, publishing academic and popular science outputs, participating in centre activities, joining international conferences and possible research stays, and potentially contributing to teaching or research infrastructure development. The appointment is for 3 years, with a gross salary normally from NOK 580,000 per year.

Eligibility requirements include a relevant background in engineering cybernetics, control engineering, machine learning, statistics, informatics, mechanical engineering, or maritime technology; a Master’s degree in engineering, informatics, or equivalent; strong academic results (typically a B average or better on NTNU’s scale); and admission eligibility for the doctoral program in Engineering Cybernetics. Final-year master’s students may apply if they complete and document the degree before starting the position and no later than 2027-09-06. Applicants must also be eligible for security clearance at CONFIDENTIAL level in Norway, and non-native English or Scandinavian speakers need English-language documentation such as TOEFL.

Applications must be submitted electronically via Jobbnorge by 2026-11-02. Required attachments include transcripts and diplomas, CV, thesis copy if available, motivation letter, relevant publications/certificates, and at least two referees. If studies were completed abroad, additional documentation of the scope and quality of education, diploma supplement, and possibly HK-dir documentation should be included.

This is a strong opportunity for candidates interested in AI methods for maritime surveillance, ship traffic analysis, safety-critical systems, and data-driven monitoring in a national research centre with strong industrial and governmental collaboration.